Welcome to China-Iceland Arctic Science Observatory, ISAP SYMPOSIUM held at CIAO, Kárhóll, Iceland on 2-6 October 2023.
Conference theme: The auroras are very amazing universal phenomena, widely existing at solar system planets and particularly those with global magnetic fields and atmospheres, e.g. Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus. It is believed to be powered by the interaction of the solar wind with the planetary system and produced through the collision of precipitating charged particles and the upper atmosphere.
There are still, however, crucial gaps in our knowledge about the physical mechanisms and dynamic processes of the various types of auroras, for instance, the acceleration mechanisms of precipitating electrons for discrete auroras, the mechanisms responsible for pitch angle scattering of electrons and protons responsible for diffuse aurora, the physical processes related with the spatiotemporal structuring of the discrete and diffuse aurora, and so on. The developments of aurora observations have promoted the explanations of these auroral phenomenology, but they often fall short in key aspects, and lack of a unified theoretical framework.
Contributions on all aspects of auroral physics, including auroral morphology, auroral instruments, auroral acceleration region, auroras in the planetary system, auroral particles precipitation, wave-particle interaction related with auroras, substorms, and storms auroras and beyond are invited. You can submit your abstract by email to Zejun Hu (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
Meeting Organizer: China-Iceland Arctic Scientific Observatory (CIAO), Arctic Portal (AP), Aurora Observatory ses. (AO) and Science Institute, University of Iceland.
Meeting guidance: Polar Research Institute of China (PRIC) and the Icelandic Centre for Research (RANNIS)
Meeting Committee: Prof. Qiugang Zong (Peking University, China), Prof. Huigen Yang (PRIC), Prof. Gunnlaugur Björnsson (Science Institute, University of Iceland), Prof. Tony Lui (Applied Physics Laboratory, The Johns Hopkins University, USA) and Dr. Zejun Hu (Station Leader, China-Iceland Arctic Observatory, PRIC)
Meeting Contact: Zejun Hu (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +86-13818420500, Station Leader of CIAO, PRIC)
Bin Li (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +86-18621719025, Polar Research Institute of China)
Halldór Jóhannsson (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., + 354 899 2828, Executive Director, Arctic Portal)
Reinhard Reynisson (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Managing director, Aurora Observatory)
Important Dates: The meeting date is from October 2nd - 6th, 2023.
2nd Oct: Arrival in Akureyri, Northern Iceland. Meeting registration and conference welcome dinner
3rd Oct - 5th Oct: meeting in China-Iceland Arctic Observatory (CIAO)
6th Oct: end of the meeting – departure from Akureyri.
Venue: The meeting will be held in the China-Iceland Arctic Observatory (CIAO). The CIAO is located at Kárhóll, Iceland, about 1.5 km south of the small community of Laugar, approx. 60 km east of Akureyri in Northern Iceland at 65°42.431’N, 17°22.017’W.
REGISTRATION: In order to provide good service for all participants a registration page has been created. Please register for the conference here.
Travel: PLEASE NOTE - When arriving in Iceland you will arrive at Keflavík International Airport (KEF).
To travel to Akureyri (AEY) - we recommend you take a domestic flight from Reykjavík Airport (REK). The flight duration is about 45 min. Your flight to Akureyri departs from the domestic airport in Reykjavik- about a 1-hour drive from Keflavík airport!
Flight tickets to Akureyri via Keflavík airport can be booked via most booking sides e.g. icelandair.com or skyscanner.com. Tickets to and from Reykjavík to Akureyri (REK-AEY) can also be booked individually via icelandair.com.
Flights on October 2nd to Akureyri depart at 07.10, 11.45, 15.30 and 18.15
Flights from Akureyri on the 6th depart at 8.25, 11.10, 13.55, 16.45 and 19.30
Conference organizers are offering individually attended transfers for participants between airports for a fixed price of USD 60 per person, each way. Transfer time is about 50 minutes.
Alternatively, you can take the airport bus to the domestic airport. It leaves from outside the arrival terminal via the Reykjavik bus terminal where you need to change buses. Travel time is about 1.5-2 hours pending departure from the airport. The price is about 36 USD.
Airport transfer is also offered to and from Akureyri Airport to individual hotels for USD 20 per person, each way.
Book your transfer through the Symposium registration page.
It is also possible to rent a car at the airport in Keflavik and drive to Akureyri and the CIAO. The distance is about 450 km and it will take 6 - 7hr. If you require assistance please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Registration and conference fee: please use the registration page.
Conference fee - USD 650 per delegate.
Included in the fee: transport to the CIAO station from Akureyri; Lunch and light refreshments at the CIAO on October 3, 4, and 5th; Excursion on the 5th; conference dinner/icebreaker on October 2nd; conference material during the conference.
Please register for the conference here.
Accommodation: The meeting organizers recommend that participants accommodate in Akureyri during the conference.
ISAP Symposium organizers have block-booked hotel rooms for conference participants, at the best available rates, at hotels in Akureyri.
The accommodation per category is very comparable in quality.
Hotels are offered in 3 categories: Price per person based on single rooms occupancy
4 star - USD 300 per night ( including breakfast )
3 star - USD 200 per night ( including breakfast )
Guesthouse - USD 150 per night
Book your accommodation through the Symposium registration page.
October is a busy season in Akureyri so we highly recommend participants to confirm their hotel choice ASAP. Based on the confirmation payment we will confirm a hotel room for each delegate on a first come first served basis!
If you have any questions or need assistance with your travel arrangements please email the local conference organizers at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call +3544612800.
A free shuttle bus will be available between Akureyri and the meeting venue at the CIAO with pick up and drop off at conference hotels.
Payments: Payments can be made by any credit card through the secure payment terminal.
Payments can also be made via bank transfer if preferred.
Bank information: Account holder. Arctic Foundation-ArcticPortal.org, Radhustorg 7, 600 Akureyri, Iceland. IBAN number: IS900358380011646107211090 / SWIFT: ESJAISRE
Reference: ISAP Symposium - Delegates' name
Please send a confirmation email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Cancellation up to 30 days prior to the conference start.
Invitation letter for VISA applications: For support to receive invitation letters for your VISA application if required please contact Reinhard Reynisson (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Managing director, Aurora Observatory)
COVID-19: All infection prevention rules for COVID-19 have been lifted at the Icelandic border. For more information please refer to the Iceland Covid travel regulation webpage.
For people who need to flight back to China, a negative COVID-19 antigen self-test within 48 hours before boarding“登机前48小时内抗原自测” is needed. For more information, please refer to the China Covid travel regulation webpage.
For registration, logistics, transfers, hotels, and general information contact - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
These maps show the route from Akureyri to the CIAO station, the area around the CIAO station, and the route from Akureyri Airport to the town center.
